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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

I seem to be getting even more addicted to drawing over the last few weeks - I've been drawing at the skate park, on the couch, at Bec's house, and even in bed!

I'm now onto my second drawing journal.

Serendipitously, my cousin in Scotland has started a new craft blog - i heart...
She's making a little zine and looking for submissions from anyone and everyone. I'm working on a few different ideas and trying to decide which drawing to go with.... decisions, decisions....

Friday, August 27, 2010

This is a little drawing that I started working on while sitting on the couch watching Tacky House lastnight. The photos are very poor quality as I took them with my phone (couldn't be bothered getting off the couch to find the camera).

My new pens are getting a workout - I've taken my sketchbook nearly everywhere this week. It's a bit difficult in waiting rooms as people like to stare.... a lot, so I might have to go back to taking my knitting with me as well, and decide the craft activity based on the anticipated audience response.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

It's been a long and busy week so far - trying to sort out my taxes and financial reports, and lots of testing and appointments happening (which always suck up waaaaaayyyyy toooooo much time).... so I didn't get a chance to finish the Medicare project.

The black and white statement was looking a little bland, so I put it back through the printer and added some tulips. I'm promising myself that I WILL get this done today!

I've also started working on a little side project just for fun.

Cate from Polka Dot Rabbit is curating an Exhibition as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival. It's called Home Is Where The Craft Is.

The purpose of this exhibition to explore the role of women's crafting as part of and related to one’s home. The items crafted may have a functional purpose at home as opposed to being simply created for artistic or creative purposes.

Crafting is usually carried out in the home, often in a communal area or shared environment such as a kitchen table, living room couch or spare room. The creative process often intersects with other tasks of home life such as watching telly, waiting for the washing machine to finish etc.

The name of my collection for the exhibition is Containment. I'm aiming to make various pieces whose function will be to contain some sort of object or thing.The beauty of a project like this, is that I can be as creative and wild and wacky as I feel like.

Have you ever walked into a scrapbooking shop before? Well golly gee, I hadn't! I suppose it's just like stepping foot into a place like Amitie... only for lovers of paper.

The thing that I don't really understand about scrapbooking (and I don't want to offend any scrapbookers), but there's quite a lot of things already pre-prepared. Fifty percent of the shop must have been dedicated to things that just peel and stick (and those things are expensive)!. Does that take away from the creativity?

Back onto the topic at hand - if anyone has some tips on where to find really nice high quality pre-prepared card stock, I would love to know.... in the meantime, I've beenchallenged to create something with that fabric Medicare Tax statement!

Monday, August 23, 2010

What better way to celebrate a bit of sunshine, than with a lovely bright yellow cherry print!

I missed a first birthday party for a friends little girl a couple of weeks ago, and I still hadn't made her a pressie, so I searched through my pattern basket to find this one.

This is a vintage pattern that I picked up from the oppy - The brand is Style 2463 from 1969 and only has Size 1. It was originally sold for the grand price of $0.60.

I'm no expert, but I found that the all-in-one neck and armhole facing made the construction much more difficult than necessary for such a simple little dres, which in turn, made the shoulder construction complicated. If I make this one again, I'll re-draft the pattern piece for the neck facing and just bind the armholes.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

I found them at the oppy a few weeks ago when I whisked away Nikki's wee girl, to go on a little treasure hunting mission.

Can anyone tell me what game the animal cards are used for? They're in multiples of four of each type of card, and each card has a letter and a number. They weren't in their original packaging.

I also found this Old Maid card set.... which is so totally politically incorrect. I'm guessing from the illustrations and the font, that it's early 1970's (must be after the moon landing as it includes Moonwalker Wally).

Thursday, August 19, 2010

I couldn't resist testing out my new pens which were a welcome home pressie from Tinniegirl.

In other news, my sewing machine has arrived home safe and sound after a good service and clean - the service guy commented that it "really must get a lot of use". I think that means that maybe I should have it serviced more regularly???

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

I've been trying to take a little break from blogging, but you know what? Blogging keeps me motivated and makes me happy. It gives me something else to think about, and allows me to use my brain, so consider my blogging break officially over.... although things still may be a little sporadic.

I really need to thank each and every person who left me a message on the blog, emailed, came to visit in hospital, or popped something in the mail - I didn't get the chance to reply to everyone personally.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

I'm kinda glad that I didn't bring any stitchy projects with me this time (even though the real reason I didn't pack any was because I didn't think I was going to end up staying).

It's quite surprising that there hasn't been that much spare time in between treatments, and med students, and student doctors (and visitors and op shopping and trips to the cafe). I haven't had a moment of boredom yet, and I've actually just enjoyed the doodling and the colouring in....... it's been a good stop/start project that I can pick up or pack up quickly.

I don't usually like wasting time. I'm always trying to cram as much as I possibly can into each and every day, just in case I run out of time. I suppose that's one of the things that you do worry about when you know that there's going to be a point where there is no more spare time. It's also hard for a control freak to admit that they have no control over the current situation!

So for the moment, I'm going to just 'go with the flow'.... and keep on scribbling and doodling.

My crafty mission has always been finding a way of getting images and artwork into practical and fashionable items. So for example, each process might begin with an owl, then i try to think of as many ways as possible to bring that owl into your surroundings. A pendant, a pen holder, journal, t-shirt or stool.

What is your earliest creative memory?

At age 7 or 8, I nagged mum to let me use her big fancy metal sewing machine to sew clothes for my cabbage patch doll. See, even from the beginning, I didn’t model my fashions on Barbie, it was a cuddly lovable cabbage patch instead. It was all a lead up to making plus size clothes today ( :

Who inspires you?

Real people...

Like:

Tinniegirl, for following her dreams and becoming the artist she knew she was.

Like:

Polly Pratt for giving up her boutique and life in NZ to move to Melbourne for a boy. Then starting over and building it all back up from scratch in a town where you know no-one.

Like all the girls at Olive Grove (the co-op where I work), because they all manage to be fabulous mums, wives and artists.

Each time I work a shift, I see the new things they have worked on in their week off.

It constantly inspires me to not rest on my laurels, because if these girls can mange two and three kids, hubbies working overtime, and filling a retail space with the most creative and inspiring delights, then I reckon I can too.

What are you currently working on?

As per usual, I’m working on about 10 things at once. Everything is done in phases, so I tend be continually working on bringing a few things to completion.

Today I’m screen printing some nautical inspired body tees and whilst they dry, I’ll continue on my new vests. In the washer and dryer, I’m preparing some denim for new wrap skirts, all whilst on the table, my new brooches are drying from a recently applied coat of varnish.

Ok so that’s only four things on the go today, but you get the picture. It all happens in little bits all at once ( :

What is your ultimate creative dream?

To have my own shop, supporting handmade.

One of the most pertinent things I have learnt about handmade is that you cannot do it all by yourself...

Being in a co-op, I see that even though we have 8 or 9 members at any given time, I’m still working 50+ hours a week to keep the shop stocked.

Because you can’t just drift in at 9, work your 8 hour shift and go home. You have to put all the hours in behind the scenes to make sure that there is something on the shelf to sell...and whilst you do that, who’s doing your accounting, shopping for supplies and feeding your children. It’s all you, baby.

So yes, one day I want to have a shop, but I will have a tiny wee shelf with my own designs on it whilst the rest of the shop is full of handmade loveliness from all my bloggy friends. Oh and it wouldn’t hurt to have a coffee lounge out back for the local crafty groups to meet up in and share ideas ( :

Maybe it won’t be 100% and maybe it won’t be all you dreamed, but your actions today will teach you invaluable lessons and put you in a position to meet people and see places that you can only experience if you take action.

Where you are today will not change into where you need to be tomorrow unless you grant yourself permission to follow your dreams.

Thanks so much for a wonderful interview Jay!
I was lucky enough to meet Jay at the first makers meeting for the Made'n'Thornbury market many moons ago. She's actually one of my crafty inspirations, and not only is she a lovely friend (and super crafter), but she's also provided me with lots of crafty business tips and advice - all of which I've been very grateful for.... and you'll find many Finki creations if you ever visit my place!

Sunday, August 8, 2010

After following along with Tinniegirls Journey over the last few months, it's really got me thinking about how much I loved art when I was in high school. Unfortunately, I had to ditch all of the art subjects that I loved and concentrate on maths and science in order to follow my chosen career path.

Then this week, Jess blogged about taking a drawing class, which got my brain whizzing around even more.

I can't really take on any classes at the moment, but I think that I really should spend some time just doodling around for fun.

Inspired by my favourite vintage fabric (that I used to make my pen roll), this is the first of my scribbles. It's perfect timing considering that I seem to have so much spare time on my hands at the moment!